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DNA Favorites Blog
This is Richard Hill, founder of DNA Favorites. I don't write long, detailed blogs. My blogging style matches that of my website: clear, concise summaries with links to learn more.
I typically share these posts to my DNA Favorites Facebook page and to my RichardHillDNA accounts on Bluesky, X,and LinkedIn. You can follow me in whatever medium you prefer.
Sep 30, 2026
A Princely DNA Story
A 26-year-old former car salesman was officially recognized as a Prince of Belgium after a DNA test confirmed a 99.5 percent match with King Philippe's younger brother, Prince Laurent.
Sep 28, 2026
A Remarkable DNA Discovery
Two childhood friends learned 40 years later that they were actually sisters. Left at orphanages in India as infants, they grew up with different adoptive families in the Netherlands.
Sep 25, 2026
DNA Testing Tips for African Americans
For African Americans descended from enslaved ancestors, genealogical records alone are often insufficient to trace lineages prior to 1870, when the U.S. census began recording African Americans by name.
Sep 23, 2026
Jews Tracing Roots with DNA
Many Jews of European background grew up believing that their relatives on both sides of their families had been murdered during the Holocaust. DNA tests can lead to amazing discoveries.
Sep 21, 2026
DNA Tests Lead to Lawsuit Against Hospital
The families of two men who discovered through DNA tests that they were switched at birth 38 years ago are suing the hospital over the mix-up.
Continue reading "DNA Tests Lead to Lawsuit Against Hospital"
Sep 18, 2026
The Top DNA Testing Bloggers
Once you understand the fundamentals of DNA testing, these DNA bloggers can provide useful tips and help you keep up with new developments.
Sep 16, 2026
DNA Test Leads Marine to the Father He Never Knew
The two had roughly two and a half years together before the father died. The Marine helped care for him in his final days and stepped in to manage the estate.
Continue reading "DNA Test Leads Marine to the Father He Never Knew"
Sep 14, 2026
Family Phasing at 23andMe
Learn about 23andMe’s Premium Parental Inheritance feature, which allows members to see their Ancestry Composition split by Parent 1 and Parent 2.
Sep 11, 2026
The DNA Discovery Boom
How at-home tests are rewriting American family trees. This article summarizes the topic well and includes statistics on things you may have wondered about.
Sep 09, 2026
Inside a Famous DNA Academy
The East Coast Genetic Genealogy Conference held its annual DNA Academy in August. Enjoy a behind-the-scenes look at what makes it such a great learning experience.
Sep 04, 2026
See the "Finding Your Roots" Season 13 Lineup
Season 13 of ‘Finding Your Roots,’ hosted by Dr. Henry Louis Gates Jr., premieres Jan. 12, 2027, on PBS. Guests include Noah Wyle, Bette Midler, Rita Moreno, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Ashley Judd, and more.
Continue reading "See the "Finding Your Roots" Season 13 Lineup"
Sep 02, 2026
Compare the Best DNA Tests for Genealogy
An independent comparison of the strengths and limitations of AncestryDNA, 23andMe, FamilyTreeDNA, MyHeritage DNA, and Living DNA.
Aug 31, 2026
Ideal Paths for Learning about Genealogy & DNA
FamilyTreeWebinars has introduced Learning Paths, step-by-step routes through 2,800+ genealogy webinars, including 325 on DNA testing.
Continue reading "Ideal Paths for Learning about Genealogy & DNA"
Aug 28, 2026
Holocaust Descendant Finds Relatives Around the World
DNA led a woman who thought her family was killed in the Holocaust to meet relatives she didn’t know existed.
Continue reading "Holocaust Descendant Finds Relatives Around the World"
Aug 26, 2026
Upgrade Family Finder to NGS
Family Finder has switched to next-generation sequencing. Learn what’s changed and how to upgrade your existing results.
Aug 24, 2026
New: Y-DNA Analysis on MyHeritage
Male customers taking the MyHeritage autosomal DNA test get a new bonus: See your Y-DNA haplogroup. For me, it was more precise than the haplogroup reported by 23andMe or Family Finder.
Aug 21, 2026
Preview the New GEDmatch Interface
A new interface is coming to GEDmatch. See a preview, try the beta test version, and lock in Tier 1 pricing before the September 1 increase.
Aug 19, 2026
DNA Resources for Adoptees
Learn how to find birth parents and siblings through DNA testing. Explore more than 75 links to adoptee resources.
Aug 17, 2026
Big Changes at FamilyTreeDNA
The autosomal unlock for transferred DNA files at FamilyTreeDNA is being discontinued on August 18th. The new Family Finder NGS test provides substantially more coverage than a transfer test, and an upgrade will be offered at a special price beginning on the 18th.
Aug 14, 2026
The Secrets In My DNA: Genetic Genealogy and Adoption
In this episode of the Legacy Tree Podcast, Sarah Stoddard, an advanced researcher at Legacy Tree Genealogists, sat down with Richard Hill, the founder of DNA Favorites and a pioneer in the field. Together, they explored the emotional rollercoaster of DNA discovery and how technology is turning “family secrets” into “family history.”
Continue reading "The Secrets In My DNA: Genetic Genealogy and Adoption"
Aug 12, 2026
Woman Gets Adopted for a Second Time After Finding Her Biological Dad
A man and the 46-year-old daughter he didn't know existed for most of his life were preparing to celebrate a special Father's Day together, thanks to a DNA discovery.
Continue reading "Woman Gets Adopted for a Second Time After Finding Her Biological Dad"
Aug 10, 2026
Ancestry Updates DNA Match Relationships
To provide more precise and accurate relationship predictions, the AncestryDNA test has been updated to better understand how people are connected. Learn which relationships are affected and why they changed.
Aug 07, 2026
Half-Siblings Discovered thru DNA Lead to Lawsuit
Lawsuit alleges former OBGYN inseminated woman with his sperm without her consent, while she was seeking fertility treatment from him in the early 1980s.
Continue reading "Half-Siblings Discovered thru DNA Lead to Lawsuit"
Aug 05, 2026
DNA Leads to Long Lost Dad after 57-Year Search
A woman who spent a lifetime trying to track down her lost dad finally found him, thanks to a DNA detective.
Continue reading "DNA Leads to Long Lost Dad after 57-Year Search"
Aug 03, 2026
An Explosion of New Tree Tools
Jonny Perl of DNA Painter provides a great overview of the many web-based tree tools for family history and genetic genealogy.
Jul 31, 2026
Accidental DNA Test Revealed Three Brothers
When his niece received an extra DNA test, this adopted man learned for the first time at age 64 that he had three brothers who grew up less than an hour away.
Continue reading "Accidental DNA Test Revealed Three Brothers"
Jul 29, 2026
The Reinvented 23andMe
There are many new features at the DNA testing company 23andMe. Plus, many of their best tools require a subscription. Kitty Cooper shares her experience in this blog post.
Jul 27, 2026
Women Bond as "Sperm Sisters"
Natasha, Gemma and Helen grew up believing they knew who their dads were. Decades later, DNA tests revealed they were all conceived by the same Welsh sperm donor.
Jul 24, 2026
Compare the Best DNA Tests for Genealogy
An independent comparison of the strengths and limitations of AncestryDNA, 23andMe, FamilyTreeDNA, MyHeritage DNA, and Living DNA.
This site is designed for educational purposes only. The author is not engaged in rendering medical or legal advice.
Copyright © 2025 Richard Hill